


Equal Footing

by Corvina_of_Olympus



Category: Initial D
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Fluff, It Shouldn't Be This Difficult, Keisuke is a little shit, M/M, Poor Keisuke just wants a friend to talk to, Princes Keisuke and Ryosuke, Servant Takumi, Slow Burn, Takahashi brothers more like ‘my only friend in this entire godforsaken palace is my brother’, Takumi is also a little shit, am I even allowed to call it slow burn if it's only one chapter?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-06-19 04:12:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15502053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corvina_of_Olympus/pseuds/Corvina_of_Olympus
Summary: Life as a prince tends to lack variety, so Prince Keisuke is naturally delighted about seeing a new face among the servants (and such a pretty one at that). Yearning for some diversion, Keisuke offers the guy a job as his personal servant -And like an idiot, Takumi says yes.(Alternate title: "The heartwarming tale of a prince who is annoyed with everyone treating him too respectfully so he picks the first random dude who looks at him funnily and makes him his personal servant")





	Equal Footing

**Author's Note:**

> Creating Keisuke/Takumi content because I feel it's my duty. I hope you'll like it!
> 
> EDIT: I'm playing with the thought of not leaving this a oneshot. Interest check?

Prince Keisuke sauntered through the marble halls of the castle without a particular destination. Nobody he encountered tried to stop him and Keisuke enjoyed the free time he had been granted. It had perks being the second born when being the older one also meant being heir to the throne. Keisuke wasn’t required at half of the conferences, consultations, lessons and other appointments his brother was forced to attend. It wasn’t like Keisuke had no responsibilities as a son of the king but compared to Ryosuke he had a lot of free time in between. Being the crown prince definitely sucked, but Ryosuke made it look easy and effortless like everything he did. And he still found the time to visit his little brother on the regular and talk about this and that.

Right now, however, Ryosuke was in a meeting with their father and the senate. Keisuke had to spend his time differently. Sometimes he grew bored of the palace and mingled with the folk in the city. Another perk of not being the crown prince: Keisuke wasn’t in the public eye as much and had it a lot easier to disguise himself enough to become unrecognisable for the people. 

Today he didn’t feel like going to the city though. It was very hot outside and the marble walls of the palace kept its interior pleasantly cool. Keisuke considered visiting the palace gardens, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to subject himself to the summer heat at all. 

He was still pondering about it when suddenly someone appeared from behind a corner and bumped into him, causing whatever that other person held in their hands to drop to the floor. Startled out of his thoughts Keisuke reflectively prepared for a fight in the split second before he was able to take a closer look at the person and realise that it was one of the servants, not an attacker.  
Meanwhile the other guy was busy scrambling to collect the stack of small wooden plates he had dropped. Only after he had retrieved them all he muttered an apology and looked up at Keisuke. 

Keisuke then noticed that he had never seen this particular servant around before. He had plain brown hair and a handsome face, but his hooded eyes made him look like he was either very tired or very bored. And he was looking at Keisuke. Still looking.

Keisuke blinked. 

The servant blinked, too, before the moment was over and his eyes suddenly went wide at the realisation who was standing in front of him. “I’m very sorry, Your Highness,” he mumbled and dropped his head into a hasty bow that made it look like he was going to scatter the stack of plates across the floor again.

Keisuke couldn’t entirely stop a grin from spreading on his face. He felt a little spark of interest settle somewhere inside of him. His boredom was forgotten.  
“I have never seen you here before. What’s your name?” he asked the servant who straightened up again.

“Takumi. I’ve started working here the day before yesterday,” he answered and grimaced a little. It tended to be a bad sign if one of the nobles asked a servant for their name. 

So he _was_ new. Keisuke’s grin grew wider. Yes, that was obvious from the guy’s mannerisms. And it was good, because it meant that he most likely hadn’t met any other member of the royal court yet. 

And now Takumi was making eye contact with him again.

Keisuke decided that he definitely didn’t want this guy at the other nobles’ whim. He needed to do something about this. Like many of Keisuke’s decisions, this one was fast and came almost out of nowhere.  
“So… How would you like being my personal servant from now on?” he asked, leaning forward a bit and looking at the other expectantly. Takumi just stared back at him, confusion in his eyes and eyebrows drawn together in a slight frown.

Yep. Definitely keep this guy away from the other members of the royal court.

“It’s a very well-paid job,” the prince beckoned. 

Takumi still looked very sceptical. Though honestly, who could blame him? That proposal did sound rather shady.

“You could quit anytime if you don’t like it,” Keisuke offered with a growing desperation at the realisation that his efforts were falling flat. Sometimes he wished to have his brother’s ability of effortlessly convincing people to do whatever he wanted without them even noticing. 

But that last argument seemed to work, as Takumi let out a loud exhale that sounded like a stifled laugh. “Okay,” the servant finally answered. “That does sound like a good offer, your highness,” he added awkwardly like an afterthought.  
Internally, Keisuke rejoiced. Externally, he kept his countenance and simply nodded.  
“Good. Now get back to what you were doing. You’ll start working for me tomorrow.”  
And with those words Keisuke turned around and strode away proudly, leaving behind a very dumbfounded Takumi.

~~~

The next morning was strange. Takumi turned up at his usual working place near the kitchens to ask his superior what to do now because the prince hadn’t been kind enough to specify his instructions yesterday. His superior spotted him from far away and watched Takumi closely over the rim of his glasses as he walked nearer.  
“Have you been informed yet that His Highness Prince Keisuke has requested you as his personal servant?”  
Takumi nodded and noticed much to his dismay that some of the other workers around them had started listening closely and exchanged meaningful looks.  
His superior frowned at him. “So why are you here, then? You are expected in His Highness’s personal chambers at seven o’clock sharp! You should hurry, or you’ll be late.”

Takumi winced and nodded again before turning around and rushing out of the room. He heard one of his colleagues call after him.  
“Good luck!”

Takumi knew he wasn’t going to be punctual. He wasn’t familiar with the layout of the castle and had to guess and ask around where those mentioned chambers were. He hoped that the prince wouldn’t be too offended by his newest servant being late on the first day. Prince Keisuke had seemed like a decent person yesterday, but Takumi had already heard enough stories about the nobles from his co-workers to make him worry. 

Upon finally arriving in front of the double doors he believed to be the correct ones Takumi knocked, waited a second and entered tentatively. 

The large room behind the doors looked exactly like Takumi expected, while at the same time being very different. He figured that his imagination just didn’t have enough to work with when coming up with the interior of a royal bedchamber. He came from a simple family and had never seen lavish gilding and luxurious draperies made from expensive fabrics as they were displayed here. Half astonished, half disgusted, he looked around to search for the prince – only to realise that this was only the first chamber and an opening in the wall to his right side led to another room, brightly lit and probably even larger than the first one. 

Of course. As if one room with the size of a hall could be enough for a royal.

Takumi sighed and continued his search for his newest employer. He finally found the prince in the third chamber, which was bathed in dim red light from the sun filtering through the fabric of the heavy burgundy curtains.

Prince Keisuke was lounging on his bed, arms crossed behind his head leisurely.  
“You made me wait.”  
Takumi bowed his head respectfully even though he felt frustration well up inside him. “I’ve been working here for three days and nobody bothered to give me directions.”  
Only after finishing his sentence did Takumi ask himself if maybe he had been too disrespectful. He dared to glance at the prince to search for traces of anger on the other’s face, but Prince Keisuke just smirked a little.

“Well, I’m assuming you know the way now. How about you start working? I suggest opening the curtains first,” the prince remarked while raising one eyebrow. Takumi felt himself coming concerningly close to shooting the noble a very dirty glare, but he disregarded his annoyance and did as he was told instead. 

While he was struggling with the heavy fabric, the prince stayed where he was and watched his every move. Takumi huffed in frustration until he was finally able to pull the curtains to the side and let the sunlight in. Prince Keisuke yawned.

Takumi already started to regret his decision.

~~~

It had been three days. Three days of acting as insufferable as possible to coax a reaction out of the other. But no, it seemed that Keisuke had misjudged his new servant. Takumi’s boldness from their first meeting in the corridor had been replaced with subdued obedience and Keisuke was disappointed. It seemed like the other really tried to take his new job seriously, but if Keisuke had wanted that, he could just have stuck with the servants that did the job before Takumi. Fists clenching his bedsheets, Keisuke bit his lip as he watched the back of Takumi’s head while the latter was opening the curtains for him. It had been normal procedure before and he had ignored whoever did the job while he was already thinking about his appointments for the day, but Takumi wasn’t here to be a silent accessory. Keisuke wasn’t quite sure yet _what_ exactly he wanted, but he _did_ know that what he wanted wasn’t a servant like any other. 

So what was he doing wrong?

Keisuke sighed and kicked his blanket off his legs. “Bring me my breakfast,” he ordered in a tone that sounded way more nonchalant and self-assured than he felt right now. Takumi turned around and left the room wordlessly, unaware of the miserable gaze trained on his retreating form.

~~~

When Takumi returned with the heavy brass tray of food that he had fetched from the near metal cart that was prepared by the kitchen staff every morning, the prince was already looking at him expectantly. Takumi placed the tray on the small table next to the bed and took a step back while His Royal Annoyance reached for a slice of orange. 

“Your predecessor was able to do this much faster,” Prince Keisuke drawled, and Takumi finally felt something inside him snap. 

“I am so very sorry for being new on my job and making sure that you don’t have to move a royal finger and wasting time that I could use for eating some breakfast myself doing the work that you should be doing yourself in the first place,” he hissed and glared at the prince, who laid there wide-eyed with his hand frozen in its position halfway between the breakfast tray and his mouth.

Takumi knew he had stepped way out of line, but right now he was too angry to care. “I’m leaving,” he growled and whirled around to stomp out of the room. Good payment to hell; he was going back to the kitchens. He couldn’t put up with this every day.

“Stop,” he heard the prince’s voice from behind him. He stopped walking out of reflex and turned back around halfway when the knowledge of what situation he had just gotten himself into caught up with him. He felt his body go rigid. Being fired was a very likely consequence, but what he had said might warrant something worse.

“Come back here.”

Takumi heard the smile in the voice and saw it on the prince’s face when he risked a quick glance. The rest of the anger that had still remained made place for confusion, but the worry and fear stayed. 

He took a few hesitant steps back towards the bed. Prince Keisuke beckoned him closer, smile still on his face. “You said you hadn’t eaten yet?” The question came out of the blue for Takumi, who was even more confused now. He nodded slowly, half expecting the heavy tray or the clay pot with milk being thrown at him in the next moment.

But instead of picking it up, the prince just gestured at the tray. “Help yourself.”

Takumi furrowed his brows. “Now you’re just making fun of me,” he grumbled.  
Prince Keisuke let out a short laugh. “No, I’m not. And now come here! You’ve got to be hungry.”

Admitting that he was, Takumi reluctantly reached for a bread roll. The prince made no move to slap it out of his hand or anything like that, he only followed his moves with his eyes. 

“You’re a pretty interesting person, you know that?” he muttered while Takumi was chewing. 

“Is that why you’re not immediately firing me?” Takumi asked after he had swallowed the piece of delicious, still-warm bread. His stomach still felt like a black hole, so he took another bite.

“Maybe,” the prince answered elusively and grinned. “You have some serious balls, talking to me like that.”

Spurred on by the prince’s reaction, Takumi felt braver now. “That could be because you were being a royal prick, Your Highness.”

The prince laughed again, short and candid. “I think it’s time for you to stop calling me ‘Your Highness’,” he said. “’Keisuke’ will do just fine.”

“Of course, Your Highness.”

“Little shit,” Keisuke grumbled good-naturedly while still grinning, and reached for another slice of orange.

~~~

Keisuke found that he enjoyed Takumi’s company so much that he surprised himself. It had been two weeks since their first meeting and he already couldn’t imagine going back to the way it was before. Even while taking part in meetings and other official appointments he caught himself yearning to return to his chambers and continue his conversations with Takumi that were so much more worthwhile than any meaningless political banter among the court. Keisuke had already learned that Takumi’s father owned a little restaurant in the town and that his mother had died when he was still a little child. He had shared stories of funny customers and regularly informed Keisuke of the palace gossip he heard from the other servants. In turn Keisuke whined to him about boring meetings and arrogant nobles, and Takumi listened patiently. 

Takumi was a friend, Keisuke realised. He was a great conversation partner, observant and witty. And he had no qualms about poking fun at the prince or talking back to him, even though he wasn’t even of noble birth.

Keisuke concluded that this had been what he wanted when he invited the other to be his personal servant. He had wanted someone who could make him forget about the confines of status and who didn’t tread lightly around him just because he was higher in rank.

He finally understood why his father employed a court jester, though Takumi was much, much better, of course.  
He probably shouldn’t voice these thoughts, though. He doubted Takumi would appreciate being compared to a court jester.

“I’m back!” he announced as he pushed open the doors to his chambers. “The conference was so boring. The senate just keeps talking and talking without ever coming to a decision. I don’t know how my brother handles it.”

Takumi’s quiet laughter rang out from the next room where he was busy re-arranging the pillows on the couch after dusting it off. Keisuke walked in and immediately dropped down on it with an exhausted sigh.  
“Hey. I just cleaned that,” Takumi complained.  
Keisuke snorted. “What good is it if I don’t use it?”  
“True,” Takumi admitted and directed his attention to the tea table next to the couch, which he dusted off, too.

While the other was working, Keisuke took a closer look at his face.  
“You look tired today. More tired than usual, I mean.”

“Maybe that’s because I have to get up at five o’clock in the morning every day to be here in time so that a certain person can get his breakfast.”

Keisuke chuckled a little before returning to a serious tone. “Seriously though. How many hours of sleep did you get last night?”

Takumi paused in his movements and seemed to ponder over the question for a moment. “Three hours, maybe? It got quite late yesterday, the kitchen staff made me help with their extra work and then I had to assist my father with repairing the broken oven- why are you staring at me like that?”

Appalled, Keisuke used his most commanding tone of voice. “Takumi Fujiwara. You’re going to drop that duster and lay down on my bed _right now_.” 

Takumi just blinked at him. “What?”

“What I mean is that you’re dismissed from service for the next few hours and that you should use those hours to get some sleep. And you’re going to do that in my bed because I fear that if I let you walk to the servants’ dorms you will just stop on the way and return to your work, and we can’t have that. Now go. Shoo!”

Takumi opened his mouth to protest. “But I- “

Keisuke intercepted. “No buts! I’m your prince! You’re supposed to listen to me!”

There was a second of silence before an amused glint appeared in Takumi’s eyes. “…very well, Your Highness.”

And with no small amount of relief Keisuke watched as the other walked over to the next room and hesitantly laid down on the bed.  
“Do you like it?” the prince asked from the doorframe to which he had followed his friend. Takumi frowned. “The mattress is way too soft.”  
Keisuke chuckled at that answer. “You’ll get used to it. Didn’t you say that you can sleep anywhere as long as you’re tired enough?”

Takumi huffed at him before shooting him an unsure glance. “And this is really okay?”

“Would I offer it to you if it wasn’t?”

“I guess not. Though with you, one can never know…” Takumi uttered with a mischievous smile.

Keisuke shook his head in mock exasperation. “What is that supposed to mean now? But either way, take your time and get some sleep now. I guess I will be doing some prince work while you’re resting.” He left the room but turned around one more time to address Takumi. “And if I catch you outside that bed during the next few hours then I swear you won’t like the consequences.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Takumi grumbled, but Keisuke had already left and didn’t hear it anymore.

~~~

When he woke up a few hours later, Takumi was confused by his unfamiliar surroundings for a moment before remembering that he was still in the prince’s bedchamber and lying in said prince’s very own bed, to be precise. That explained the foreign sensation of cool silken sheets against his skin and the fact that his head was resting on at least three thickly stuffed pillows.

He had to admit that Keisuke had been right to order him to rest, as his slight headache and fatigue from before had passed. For another moment, he enjoyed the idleness of resting on this luxurious bed before he had to return to his work. 

Judging from the slowly setting sun outside the large windows, it was almost time for Takumi to fetch Keisuke’s dinner. He yawned and stretched pleasurably before getting up and making his way to the kitchens.

He hadn’t even left Keisuke’s chambers yet when he turned around a corner just to come face to face with another person – another person who, upon closer look, could be identified as His Royal Highness Crown Prince Ryosuke, live and in the flesh. Takumi froze in his step right where he was and stared at the other man with wide eyes. 

Aside from certain facial features like the chin, the jawline and the intense blue eyes, Ryosuke didn’t resemble his little brother very much. The crown prince exuded a controlled and calculated sort of authority where Keisuke was forceful and impulsive. Nobody in Ryosuke’s presence would doubt that they were looking at a future king.

Said future king was now eyeing Takumi up and down with an unnervingly inquiring expression on his handsome face. It felt like he was being dissected, Takumi decided with a hardly suppressed shudder.  
Finally, the crown prince raised his voice. 

“I came here to see what my little brother was so occupied with lately.” He stepped a bit closer and cut off Takumi’s way to the door. Deliberate or not, Takumi was getting truly nervous. The crown prince tilted his head thoughtfully, a small smile on his lips. 

“So this is it, then. Interesting.”

Takumi didn’t know what to say until suddenly, Ryosuke chuckled. “Would you tell me your name? Keisuke refused to tell me anything at all, which is not something that happens often.” 

“Uh… Takumi. My name is Takumi.”

“The ‘artisan’, I see…” The crown prince regarded him thoughtfully again before closing his eyes and sighing. When he opened them, they were trained on Takumi with a new intensity.  
“I don’t want to beat around the bush for too long, Takumi. So here is my question: What exactly is your relationship with my brother?”

The question still made Takumi feel intimidated, but more than that, it made him think. “I’m his personal servant,” he began. When there was no visible cue from Ryosuke, he continued slowly. “I like being around him. He’s… a friend.” Unsure whether he was being too presumptuous, he glanced at the crown prince.

Ryosuke smiled wistfully. “A friend…”

Then he took another step towards Takumi, who flinched, and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I do not oppose your friendship. But I think you should know that Keisuke has seemed much happier than ever before during those last two weeks. If you are the reason for that, as I assume, then I guess I owe you my thanks.”

Takumi was at a loss for words. Of everything he expected, this was the last thing. 

The crown prince gave him another smile and let go of his shoulder. In the next moment, the doors behind him opened.  
It was Keisuke who stood in the doorframe, his eyes wandering from Ryosuke to Takumi and then back to his brother. Silence reigned for a few moments. Then Keisuke groaned exasperatedly. “I can’t ever keep a secret from you, can I?”

Ryosuke chuckled in amusement. “Well, you were being very obvious. You personally requested a new personal servant and it has been the talk of the entire staff. I, too, have my connections.”  
Keisuke actually pouted. “As if I didn’t know that. I just- argh.”

Ryosuke turned back to Takumi. “Could you leave us alone for a few minutes? I’ve been meaning to talk to my brother in private.”  
Takumi looked at Keisuke, who nodded and stepped aside to let him leave the chambers.

He heard the doors close behind him and hurried away towards the kitchens, still bewildered by the recent events. 

Keisuke was happier because of him, the crown prince had said. 

Takumi didn’t know why, but that made him happy as well.

~~~

The doors had hardly closed behind the servant when Keisuke lifted his head and stared at his brother defiantly. “If you plan to tell me that I should let him go, then I’m going to say no.”

Ryosuke smiled at his little brother affectionately. He never changed, after all.  
“I wasn’t going to say that at all. In fact, I’m glad that you have found someone you like to spend time with.” The ‘someone else’ went unspoken. Both brothers knew it was there without having to exchange words.

Keisuke laughed softly. “I don’t think I can ever go back to the way it was before. Whenever I’m not with him, I start to miss his company. Is that weird? For me to miss a servant that much?”  
At his inquiring look, Ryosuke smiled again. “I don’t think it is,” he said reassuringly. And that was all that needed to be said. 

They were quiet for a while, looking out of the large windows that gave them a nice view of the palace gardens and the sun setting above them.

“I guess I didn’t expect you to turn up here and investigate for yourself before even trying to ask me,” Keisuke broke the silence.

“I just wanted to see what my little brother was up to. It had to be something really special if he didn’t even tell me one word.”

Keisuke laughed. “If you were worried that I was planning to conspire against you and take the throne for myself, I can assure you that won’t happen.”

After a side glance at his little brother, Ryosuke laughed with him. “I was never worried about that. You would have a lot more to learn until you could make an honest attempt on the throne.”

“Hey!” Keisuke playfully punched his brother’s arm. “Well, thank you very much for always reminding me of how much better than me you are.”

“And yet I haven’t been able to get myself an adorable little personal servant.” Ryosuke smirked and tilted his head. “I definitely do see the appeal. Maybe I could lend him sometimes?”

“Oh, don’t you dare!” 

The brothers laughed together and where still laughing when Takumi came back about a minute later, carrying a dinner bell. “I hope I’m not interrupting your talk. But the food is getting cold,” he mumbled.  
“Don’t worry, we were finished anyway,” Ryosuke assured him. He then attempted to ruffle his brother’s hair, but the latter evaded his hand with the ease of years-long practice. “Stop it,” Keisuke grumbled, and Takumi suppressed a chuckle. 

Ryosuke turned to leave and gave the servant one last complaisant look. He wished him and Keisuke a nice evening before leaving his brother’s chambers.

He had to admit to himself that he had been selfishly worried about Keisuke’s new pastime. But after this conversation it was clear to him that his brother wasn’t trying to replace him and would still appreciate his visits.

But he had to be careful with timing said visits, as the conversation had made another thing clear to him: Keisuke’s feelings for Takumi ran deeper than mere friendship. He didn’t know it yet, but Ryosuke would leave him to figure it out by himself. 

He was interested to see how the two’s relationship would evolve.

**Author's Note:**

> Spot any spelling mistakes, funny wording, choppy paragraphs or disgraceful grammar? Please tell me so I can correct it. It's 4:30 in the morning and I just had to be stubborn and finish writing before I went to sleep. (I'm so tired. I'll read over it again tomorrow and I'm probably going to scream.)(Also why does this look so short suddenly!? The struggle is real)  
> Any other kind of constructive criticism is also very welcome, and comments are loved and treasured even if they just consist of a keysmash.


End file.
